


Prove It

by demoisellecamille



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2015-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-25 08:33:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3803818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demoisellecamille/pseuds/demoisellecamille
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tough love between Lin and her mother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prove It

**Author's Note:**

> Written for tumblr's Beifong Week!

“I _deserved_ that promotion!” Lin Beifong screamed as she slammed her fists on the table. She had been working on high-profile kidnapping case for quite some time now, capturing the culprits and retrieving the victim just in time before they took her away to the South Pole.

Toph Beifong just stared at her daughter with her blind, milky eyes.

“Aren’t you even going to say anything?” she fumed.

Toph knew about the case – in fact, she had been diligently following it from start to finish. Lin was amazingly dedicated, she found out, and through discreet inquiries, the Chief found out that her daughter doesn’t have qualms about striking some deals _outside_ of the law to come up with leads. It was admirable, yes – but Toph didn’t want her daughter – _and any officer_ , for that matter, to go around spreading breadcrumb trails of shady deals that could be used against the police later. It was a lesson she was trying to teach Lin.

Seeing that her outburst didn’t even make her mother flinch, Lin groaned and slumped on the floor, her armor noisily clanking against the cold stone. “Fuck this!” she screamed again and again.

* * *

 

Outside the office, a rookie cop looked with concern at the door. There was so much noise coming from the Chief’s office, and he thought it was a matter of great concern. “W-what’s going on?”

A colleague handed him a cup of coffee. “Just some mother-daughter lovin’ – you’ll get used to it,” he laughed.

* * *

 

“I deserved that promotion, Mother – and who did you give it to? You gave it to Xiao! He didn’t even _want_ the job! He didn’t even give a shit –“

Toph stood abruptly, a frown disturbing her cool, icy features. “ _STAND DOWN, OFFICER. YOU ARE ADDRESSING THE CHIEF. CONDUCT YOURSELF PROPERLY_.”

“Mom –“

“ _Chief,_ ” Toph corrected. “Do you want to know why I didn’t give you the promotion? Your partner reported to me how you met with some Triad hoodlums and offered them _temporary_ _protection_ if they would rat out the crooks you were chasing after. Tell me, Officer Beifong – since when has it been acceptable to –“

“The others have done it!”

Toph slammed her palms on the table. “ _JUST BECAUSE OTHERS HAVE DONE THE SAME DOES NOT MEAN IT IS ACCEPTABLE!_ I have _given_ my _whole life_ to keep this city safe for everyone. Do you have _any idea_ how a deal such as the one you just struck could be used against you? Against the whole force? Do you know what the repercussions of your bull-headedness could be? _DO YOU_?!”

Lin looked at her mother. Rarely did Toph Beifong lose her calm, especially at work, but now it seemed like she was genuinely upset, and Lin’s actions seemed to have struck a nerve. “Honestly, I… I wasn’t able to think – I – I thought it was a good idea – at – at the time.”

Toph regained her composure and was quiet once more.

Sighing, Lin rose to leave. “I – I have to leave. See you later, Mo – _Chief_.”

She was almost at the door when Toph spoke up. “You say you deserve a higher rank?”

Lin nodded. She didn’t to tell her mother how badly she wanted to be promoted, after all.

“Catch –“

She turned her back just in time to catch a thick case file in her hands.

Toph smirked. “Prove it.”


End file.
